Israeli official says US was unaware about PM's Oman visit

US Ambassador reportedly only found out about Netanyahu's trip to the Gulf from the Omanis.

Tzvi Lev, 02/11/18 07:19

Netanyahu in Oman

Netanyahu in Oman

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Oman last week, a senior Israeli official told Kan that the visit was not coordinated with the United States and that the US ambassador in the Gulf nation had heard about the contacts only from the authorities in Oman.

The source said that the meeting between Netanyahu and Sultan Qaboos, whose followed a year and a half of planning by the Mossad, was known only by the American ambassador after he was canceled a meeting with a representative of the Sultan.

Netanyahu and the White House refused to comment on the issue.

Last Friday, Netanyahu visited Oman, marking the first time since 1996 that an Israeli Prime Minister has visited the country.

The visit was criticized by the Arab world, but the foreign minister dismissed the criticism, saying that other nations in the region should weigh treating the Jewish State as an equal.

"We should consider giving equal treatment to Israel among the other countries in the Middle East. Jews are part of history that touches Islam and the existence of the State of Israel is a fact that should not be ignored," said the Omani official.